We’re past the point now where the Heat can slip on their noise-canceling headphones and pretend the only beats they hear have been downloaded according to personal taste.

After 105-103 in Boston on Monday night, the drums are pounding louder than the “1812 Overture” all over the basketball world.

The Heat’s 23rd consecutive victory pushed them past the anomaly that was the 2008 Rockets and at very least tiptoes them across the threshold and inches them into the throne room with royalty.

Wilt, West and Goodrich. LeBron, Wade and Bosh. That’s a Hall of Fame red carpet that’s rolled out between them.

Make no mistake. It is all no more than a hollowed-out log if they aren’t standing under a shower of confetti and holding up the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. Because that’s why you play the game. It is fine for the contrarian Jeff Van Gundy and stat geek Daryl Morey to point out that these serpentine win streaks that stretch from one month into the next are almost as rare as unicorns and therefore technically more difficult to achieve than championships.

But let me know the next time somebody hangs a win streak banner from the rafters or hands out rings for consecutive regular-season wins.

As Magic Johnson said: “I’ll take the diamonds.”

Heat upcoming schedule

Day

Date

Loc.

Opponent

Time (ET)

TV

Wed.

3/20

@

Cleveland

7 p.m.

League Pass

Fri.

3/22

vs.

Detroit

7:30 p.m.

League Pass

Sun.

3/24

vs.

Charlotte

6 p.m.

League Pass

Mon.

3/25

@

Orlando

7 p.m.

League Pass

Wed.

3/27

@

Chicago

8 p.m.

ESPN

Fri.

3/29

@

New Orleans

8 p.m.

League Pass

Sun.

3/31

@

San Antonio

7 p.m.

NBA TV

Still, there is no denying that what is happening here is special. Even the usual facade of the ‘”We’re-above-it-all” Heat is slipping to reveal the emotion that’s building like the lava dome under a volcano.

A week ago, those in the Miami locker room still insisted that nobody was thinking about a double-digit win streak or rushing to flip ahead several pages in the record book. But a look at the expressions and the emotions that showed on the Heat faces in the fourth quarter at the TD Garden on Monday night showed just how much has changed. They were down 13 with eight minutes to play. Rather than appear defeated, the Heat were defiant.

It is prudent to note that they are just over 2/3 of the way from the record of 33 held by the 1971-72 Lakers. If the Heat were an individual player chasing Wilt’s 100-point game, they would have 69. Impressive, but still a long way off. Yet stepping over the flotsam of the Houston team that couldn’t even win a first-round playoff series in 2008 clears a path toward their own unique place in the game.

“It means a lot,” James said. “I am a historian of the game. I know the history of the game. I know almost all the teams that have come through the ranks. To be sitting in second place right now, with so much that this game has given to our fans and everything, for us to be there, doing it the way we want to do it, it means a lot.”

Back in the summer of 2010, in the aftermath of “The Decision,” James was ridiculed for ticking off the number of championships that the Heat could win — “not one … not two … not three … not four … not five … not six … not seven …”

But now that they’ve got the first title, and it seems reasonable to think there’s another in the pipeline, this could be their once-in-a-slam-dunking-lifetime opportunity to put an indelible stamp and stake a place in the NBA’s pantheon.

While Michael Jordan’s Bulls won six championships, it is the 1996 team that set a regular season record of 72-10 that stands above them all. The 1967 Sixers, led by Chamberlain, won a then-record 68 regular-season games and made their mark by ending the eight-year reign of Bill Russell’s Celtics. The 1983 Sixers vaulted from an overpowering 68-14 regular season to the pinnacle behind Moses Malone’s “Fo’, fo’, fo’ “ proclamation that they nearly fulfilled by running through the playoffs with a 12-1 record. And, of course, the Lakers ran off their 33-0 streak early in the 1971-72 season, won a then-record 69 games and made their claim as the all-time best team by closing the deal on the championship.

A singular achievement. That’s where the Heat are now, fully engaged and fully aware that this is now the stuff of legacy. It is what James and Wade and Bosh came together to do.

“We’re aware, and it’s a special opportunity that we have with this group,” said coach Erik Spoelstra. “And you don’t want to take it for granted. You want to treat every day as a special opportunity to be with this group, to share these moments together, but more importantly to take a step closer to going after our goal. And every day that we improve puts us in a better position in a quest where nothing is guaranteed for anybody.”

It is almost a living, breathing creature inside the locker room, one they’ve fed and fueled. It forces the Heat to look at themselves differently.

71 Comments

I think most of us have underestimated how really good the Heat are. This is the same team that reached the 2010/11 NBA finals after having a terrible start. Though they lost to the Mavs but the team showed a lot of character. The following year they won it all. I think we should have expected amazing things this season. The highlights, the streak, MVP title and the championship. I’m not a Heat fan but I know this is their time. They have all the qualities of great teams that did great things in the history of the NBA. And to me it will be a huge let down if they don’t threepeat.

MIAMI HEAT is not the only the BEST in the EAST but also the BEAST in the EAST..wow!
LETS GO HEAT! this Team is the Best Team in the NBA right now..very exciting to watch their every single GAME.. cant wait to the 2013 playoffs! let’s go HEAT! aim for the trophy.. LBJ for MVP!

lol, all these haters and kobe fanboys or what, just appreciate the game thats how it should be, talk all you want, but could you take away the heats championships? I am LBJ and i am a CHAMPION hahaha. and the heat is now in the record books for the second longest streak now lets see if any of your teams could ever top that. i laugh at all these haters. hahaha and to all these doubters, championship or not, this streak means so much its a rarity to be in these kind of record every year a team gets crowned a champion, does every year a team gets these streaks? to all haters we leave you in the DUST. hahaha

The question is “Who is Adam Blinebury” and what has he achieved in his life to write an article so full of hate. If he’s a true media personality, he needs to appreciate and enjoy when something special is happening. It doesnt matter if Heat lose the next game against his “Home” team or if they win everything in the pre and post season. It all comes down to who is playing great and who is the best basketball player on the planet right now — is there any question in anyone’s mind? Go Heat and Go LBJ.

Does it really matter about this lame streak. The heat are the only team still trying like try hard. They will not make it to the finals. The Knicks are coming back off of injuries and winning it all in the east. They have veterans that are playoff intelligence , plus melo is the man… # Knicks fan * Knicks going 4 da gold. Any replays will get told off by my knowledge

Good calls and bad calls are all part of the game.
Sometimes u get it, sometimes u dont.

Is just like sometimes u got player to be on fire and sometime u just dont.

Celtics fan should be feeling lucky to see jeff green on fire while the heats bench were struggling.
if green and the heats bench were playing at their average level, the heats would have won easily. Lbj n wade may not even play in the 4th.

But at least I can say that Boston is able to contest with the NBA’s best. Had KG been in, we would have won. We we got annihilated on the boards. And as they say, “control the boards, control the game?”

Who cares? The Heat won congratulations to them. But the streak does not mean that the Heat will win the title. OKC might step up? maybe San Antonio too, or even Denver? Even New York or Brooklyn. All those teams have solid rosters. The difference is that the Heat have more chemistry. But the playoffs are a whole different ball game. So let’s stop hating on each other (even though i dislike Miami) and wait and see how the playoffs roll out.

I am sure any NBA player who was the greatest in the league became a free agent, then singed with a team of there choice would go on a game winning streak. Its impressive but there are still 2 teams with only 2 and 3 more losses then the Heat.

Its not like they are miles ahead of the rest of the league. The playoffs is where it all counts.

STOP COMPLAINING BOSTON FANS U HAD THE GAME UP TO THE 4TH Q WITH 6MINS TO GO BUT THEY WILTED UNDER PRESSURE NO WAY THEY UP BY 12 AND LET MIAMI STOP THEM FROM SCORING THE LAST 6IMNS WHERE WAS MR 43 PTS MAN IT, SHOULD NOT HAVE COME DOWN TO THE LAST SHOT AND LET U GUYS START BLAMING THE REFS LEBRON WAS GETTING TRIPLE TEAMED EVERY TIME HE WENT TO THE POST HIS SIDE AND HANDS SHOULD BE FULL OF WELTS TODAY , BUT HE DIID NOT TELL REPORTERS ABOUT THE REFS BOSTON HAD THE CHANCE TO WIN THE GAME BUT THEY WILTED UNDER 4Q DEFENSE FROM THE HEAT. CELTICS FANS ARE HURTING CAUSE YOU ALL WERE IN GLORY LAND FOR 3 QUARTERS GET OVER IT THE HEAT IS A BETTER TEAM

To all the bitter people. All you are doing is propping up Miami even higher. They are better than your team and they are winning more than your team. So, you go online and post nasty comments and blame the refs, when in fact, the refs have done everything possible to give the game to the teams playing against the Heat. Do you not know that all of the hate that you spew online will not make a difference? Why not just sit back like the rest of us and enjoy the greatest performance that you will probably ever see in your lifetime?

Maybe because the greatest player in the game became a free agent and singed with 2 hall of fame players and a team that already had 40 something wins the previous year. Thats more than Celtics before Bird, more than Lakers before Magic and more than Chicago had before Jordan. Difference is Kobe, Magic, Bird and Jordan all drafted and won with the same team.

um kobe bryant wasnt drafted by LA he was actually dafted by charlotte but instanly traded and besides that magic, mj, kobe, and bird all came on to teams with so much great talent and such amazing franchises that it was alot easier for these players.
i am a heat fan and yes i might be bias when it comes to certain things but if you were to replace any of those guys with lebron that franchise still would of won the championship the years they did.

These refs screwed the celtics last night again its getting ridiculous NBA has special treatment for Miami i swear to god they got away with everything last night FLOP city and we wonder why they have one 23 games NBA is starting to smell extra fishy

Were you really watching the game or are you just blind? There were bad calls both ways, not only in Miami’s favor. I get where you’re coming from. But saying that the officials are coddling the Heat is not just ridiculous, it’s preposterous. This is coming not just from someone who likes not only LeBron but KG as well.

Agree with Peter… lot of contact not called Heats way in the paint while Boston got some soft calls. 2 Inconclusive decisions one each way, stupid to point out the one that may have been off lebrons foot, not even vidoe could prove that. As for the band-wagoners comment, are you serious? you support the most bandwagoned team in the league.

ugh i hate and i mean i really hate ppl who comment things such as *i hate bandwagon fans* n deem everyone as a bandwagon fan…miami has been relevant before lebron and there are ppl who loved the heat before bron such as myself. how can you judge if sumone is a bandwagonist. people jus hate the attention the heat are getting so they try tu kill the joy of fans. i hv watched the heat thru their ups n down from 2003 but if sumone randomnly decides to support the heat right now y shud i mind? thts their choice!

Miami has been the best team in NBA since last year and is now the most consistent team in 2013. They made history and this is just the beginning. I won’t be surprise if they win more than 5 championships and remember talent among those players is not just the big three but any of the player can change the game at any time.

You know, I wouldn’t put it past Miami to win it all again this season. The east is wide open, and the west is clogged like always. But next year when the luxury tax penalties kick in, I definitely see the Heat being broken up and keeping LeBron. So we’ll see how LeBron produces in the future without all the talent because there is no way Miami is paying that luxury tax.

I actually LOVE what the Heat did and Lebron’s decision (but not the TV special that was a horrible idea!)
NBA players taking control and making alliances and friendships to win a championship, I LOVE IT.

Imagine if more great players continued doing this, and then good players started to do the same. There could easily be 10 more power teams and playoffs would be epic.

This kind of ideology will only give more value to what it means to win a championship. Players SHOULD do their best to pursue it. Instead of looking for max deals, imagine if players looked to make the best teams.

I am all for a powerhouse league. Of 30 teams sadly only about 5 of them truly care hard enough whether they win a championship or not. I fault the players and the organizations for this. Too many out there are happy just having the $. It would help the league if the motivated players who really REALLY want a championship did something about it instead of staying stuck on bad teams.

The Miami Heat will go down in history as the best NBA team of all time if they manage to keep this streak going and then go on to win it all in June. Even ‘game of their life’ performances from players on other teams can’t stop the Heat.

Go Miami Heat!! But if you have to break the streak to rest, then do it. What an incredible team. It is funny that Battier was on the Rocket Team in 2007-2008 and Ray Allen with the Celtics broke the streak and won the NBA championship. I was hoping so hard that Miami would not lose for Battier’s sake. Love the Heat!

Now all of you got officiating as your excuse? Pathetic. Calls are made both ways. Miami may have had calls in their favor, but they also got some bad calls or non-calls. It’s human nature to make mistakes and refs are no exception to the rule. Get over it.

Always for the Heat? Just watch the game again please lol. I am a Lebron Fan, the fact he is in Miami makes it even better, i follow him wherever he goes (except Lakers or Celtics) but for you to be so blind and not see that there were MULTIPLE (10+) calls under the basket that were NOT CALLED for the Heat, that this game would NEVER reach 17 point deficits…im just glad Miami pulled it off and once again beat the Celtics!! Great Game overall…kudos to Jeff Green…43 points, nasty performance. But still Lets go Heat!!

Keep on crying dude. Maybe u need to go to optician. The replay was very clear that the ball bounces to green’s foot. And how about the 2nd to d last ball posession? Battier blocks green and roll to his arms. It was very clear on the replay. Then Cs ball? Thats what u call a bad call.

excuses get you nowhere. You should be asking why Doc took out Green at 8m mark when he was super hot and guarding bron. Bron then went off for 10 striaght points while Green cooled off and the rest is history.